PlayStation 4 controller shown off in DualShock-ing new video
Sony shows off its latest DualShock controller for the PS4, with features such as a Share button, built-in speaker and motion controls.
Sony is showing off the new features of the DualShock 4, its latest PlayStation controller. In a video posted to its YouTube channel (embedded below), developers behind the PS4 wax lyrical about the new controller.
The most important addition is the Share button, which allows you to capture gameplay footage, make a video and upload it straight to the Internet. This ties into the melding of social media and games that Sony is pushing with its new console.
The coloured, glowing block on the back that first catches your eye is a motion sensor that lets the console track the controller. It sounds like a gimmick, especially after the PS3's pointless Sixaxis, but it has some useful applications. In local multiplayer modes, for example, if you swap places with someone on your sofa, the splitscreen will magically switch to match.
A speaker has been added too, adding 'dynamic sound' to create a more immersive experience. Where your TV will play the grand, epic soundtrack, the controller will add subtle extra details, such as bullets whizzing by your character's ears. PS Vita-style touch controls are also present on DualShock 4, as a result of the MacBook-esque multi-touch pad, so it'll be interesting to see what that adds to gameplay.
Subtle tweaks include the change of the analogue sticks from being convex to being concave, which makes them more like those found on the Xbox 360 controller. The triggers and shoulder buttons have also been adjusted to improve control.
Sony seems to have learned from its mistakes with the PlayStation 3, which was notoriously hard to make games for due to its complex and unfamiliar Cell processor, and has actively reached out to developers to see what they want to work on for this upcoming console generation.
My only concern is that all these extra features will make the DualShock 4 very expensive -- its older brother, the DualShock 3, cost in excess of £30, and was nowhere near as advanced.
The PlayStation 4 was announced in February, and no release date has been officially announced yet. Pre-orders opened up at Game and Asda last week, in case you want to secure yours for a £20 deposit.
Are you shocked by the DualShock 4? Or do you want to share your excitement? Take control in the comments below, or on our motion-controlled Facebook page.